[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 26, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING GORHAM MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL'S SOPHOMORE STUDENT COUNCIL

 Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am proud to recognize the 
Sophomore Student Council at Gorham Middle & High School as December's 
Granite Staters of the Month. When a vendor accidentally sent extra 
chocolate as part of the Sophomore Student Council's fundraiser, the 
students launched a new effort. Instead of reselling the surplus 
chocolate to benefit their class, they decided to sell the extra 
chocolate to benefit their school's food pantry.
  Like most events this year, the Sophomore Student Council modified a 
fundraiser that they would typically hold in-person to be an online 
event. One of the participants in the fundraiser, the aunt of Sophomore 
Student Council Representative Emma LaPierre, bought three boxes of 
chocolate to benefit her niece's class. However, instead of receiving 
the expected three boxes of chocolate, she received three entire cases 
of chocolate. The vendor, World's Finest Chocolate, was alerted to the 
mistake, but due to safety concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic, said 
that they could not take the chocolate back. Emma, along with other 
members of the Sophomore Student Council, decided that rather than sell 
the extra chocolate to profit their class, they would use the 
additional funds to benefit their school's food and supply pantry. 
After selling the chocolate at a reduced rate, the students 
successfully raised $200 for the pantry, which provides weekend meals, 
snacks, and school supplies to any student in need. Following the 
students' efforts, a local paper published an article about the 
fundraiser, which inspired a couple in the community to send a $100 
check to the school to benefit their food and supply pantry.
  Emma and the other students in Gorham's Sophomore Student Council 
exemplify the way that small acts of kindness can make a big difference 
in a community. Their selfless decision to raise money on behalf of a 
community-wide resource, rather than keep the funds for their class, 
helped to spur other acts of kindness in their community from which the 
whole school and community benefited. I am honored to recognize their 
efforts and proud that their efforts reflect the Granite State's core 
value--the belief that individuals should step up when they see a 
problem--and that when they do, their actions have a ripple effect that 
strengthens the entire community. The Gorham Sophomore Student Council 
has done just that.

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